Package sealing apparatus



May 26, 1936. w. P. WHITE PACKGE SEALING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet'lFiled Feb. 2, 1955 Hmmm@ wrm@ mw MIU? May 261, 1936.

w. P. WHITE PACKAGE sEALING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 2, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet2 Y Patented May 26, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Cap Company,Chicago Ill., a corporation of Delaware Application February 2, 1933,Serial No. 654,847

Claims.

This invention relates to packaging and pertains particularly toapparatus for the sealing o1' closure caps on packing vessels, such ascans, bottles, jars, and the like.

A general object of the invention is the provision of an improvedapparatus for the sealing of containers with closure caps, whereby thesealing may be accomplished incident to the continuous progressivemovement of the container and a high rate of output of properly sealedpackages maintained.

Another object is the provision of such apparatus particularly qualifiedto admit of the containers ybeing moved progressively at a high rate ofspeed during the application and sealing of closure caps ony them,without subjecting them to the likelihood of being overturned or tiltedin such fashion as to spill any of their contents.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of such apparatuswhich is particularly qualified to effect the sealing of containerswhich are presented to the sealing operation in very close successionone after another.

Another object is the provision of such apparatus which is particularlyqualified for the sealing of tall containers of relatively small basearea.

Yet another object is the provision of apparatus effective to obtain theabove specied results and advantages, and in conjunction therewith toeffeet the sterilization of the closures and the mouth portions of thecontainers, and to effect the displacement or removal of air from theunoccupied portions of the containerand closure in such fashion that asubatmospheric pressure is obtained in the sealed package.

Another object is the provision of improved mechanism for applyingclosure caps to progressively moving containers.

Yet another object is the provision of an improved apparatus for sealingor afllxing closure caps upon progressively moving containers.

Other and further objects will be pointed out or indicated hereinafteror will become apparent to one skilled in the art upon an understandingcf the invention or its employment in use.

For the purpose of aiding in an explanation cf the invention Ihereinafter describe, and illustrate in the drawings forming a part ofthis specication, certain forms of 'apparatus emhodying same. It is tobe understood, however, that these are presented merely by Way ofexample, as the invention may be embodied in apparatus of other forms,and consequentlythe disclosures herein contained of particular apparatusare 'not to be construed in any fashion calculated to limit the appendedclaims short of the true and most comprehensive scope of the inventionin the art.

In said drawings,

Fig. 1 is a part side sectional elevation of package sealing apparatus,the section being taken on the longitudinal median line of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on approximately line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail in the nature of a side elevapackage, Whereas inother instances it may not be necessary or desirable to have anair-tight seal. Likewise, in the case of hermetically sealed packages,it may be desirable to have them evacuated of air, Whereas in otherinstances vthis may not be necessary or desirable. VThe' presentinvention is applicable to the sealing 'of packages under any and all ofthese various circumstances. vThe speed at which the sealed packages maybe turned out is, of course, of substantial 'importance as aiectingcosts, and also with respect to the character of the product, it beingin many instances quite desirable to seal the `packages promptly afterthe contents are deposited in them. The present invention contributesparticular advantage in respectto speed or volume of output per unit oftime. In this respect the invention possesses an additional advantage inthe fact that it enables a given installation to handle a verysubstantial overload, and likewise qualifies Vit to handle a normal orsub-normal load very economically.

Described generally, the invention contemplates apparatus and operationswhereby the lled containers are transmitted progressively, in a series,at a continuous and uniform rate of speed, the

closures are applied tothe successive containers progressive movementhave to be timed with respect to the closure-applying and sealingoperations. Thus the invention is adapted to handle with equaleffectiveness either a light load or a heavy load, and may be utilizedequally effectively to take the output of a single filling machine or aplurality of filling machines, without any intermediate delay oraccumulation of filled containers awaiting sealing. These results areobtained by the apparatus, in part, by the provision of a continuouslymoving conveyor on which the containers are transmitted to thecap-applying and sealing operations, in conjunctionwith a' capapplyingmeans of such character that the passage of the container past iteffects the application of the cap to the container, and a sealing meanswhich operates the cap to seal or seat it oh the vessel while it ispassinglthe sealing means; together with means for appropriatelypositioning and sustaining the container while it'is passing thecap-applying means, in such fashion as to insure its positivecooperation with the latter and its proper action upon the cap withoutthe possibility of its being overturned or tilted and without regard asto how closely it follows a preceding container or how closely it isfollowed by a succeeding container.

' The character of the invention will be understood more fully and inmore detail by consideration of the specific examples of apparatus andpractice which are illustrated in the drawings and which will now bedescribed.

The reference numeral IIl designates a stationary frame which forms thesupport for the apparatus, and the reference numeral II designates ahousing which is adjustable vertically with respect to the frame I0,said housing being supported on the frame through the medium ofvertically adjustable posts I2. The frame Ill supports a conveyorcomprising the endless belt I4, the upper stage or traverse of whichruns horizontally, and suitable sprockets for transmitting the belt, oneof which is shown at I5. The housing II has side walls from which platesI6 extend downwardly on opposite sides of the belt I4, which form, inconjunction with the top of the housing II, a tunnel-like casing, openat its opposite ends, through which the upper traverse of the belt I4runs. For convenience in designation, the end oi the casing shown at theleft in Figs. 1 and `2 will be referred to as the rear or entrance endof the machine, and the opposite end of the casing will be referred toas the front or discharge end. The conveyor belt I4 is moved in thedirection indicated by the arrow in Fig. l, viz., through the casingfrom rear to front.

Toward the rear end of the machine, journals I1 are slidably mounted onthe side walls of the housing in such fashion that they may movelongitudinally of the latter, said journals being constrained in therearward direction by springs I8. Grooved sheaves I9 are rotatablymounted on the journals I1, so that they rotate on horizontal axes.Toward the front end of the casing, the corresponding grooved sheaves 20are rotatably mounted on fixed journals 2l. At the front end of thehousing II is arranged a pulley 22 affixed to an axle 24 which isjournaled in the opposite sides of the housing and which has keyed to ita beveled pinion 25. The pulley 22, adjacent its opposite ends, hasperipheral grooves 26. Midway 0f the housing is a second pulley 28carried on an axle 29 which is journaled in the opposite sides of thehousing.

Between the sheaves I9 and 20 are grooved guide sheaves 30 mounted torotate on vertical journals arranged in pairs on heads 3l which arexedly secured to bars 32 (see Fig. 6). The bars 32 are mounted to slidelongitudinally in sleeves 34, wherein they are pressed inwardly, towardthe median 4line of the casing, by springs 35, the limits of movement ofthe bars 32 being determined by pins 36 projecting from the bars and theends of slots 31 in the sleeves 34, in which slots the pins ride. Thesleeves 34 are mounted in bearings 38 on the side walls of the housingII in such fashion that they may be adjusted inwardly and outwardly withrespect to the housing, suitable clamping or set screws 39 beingprovided for holding the sleeves in fixed position at the selectedadjustment. Suitable endless belts 40, disposed in opposite relationshipto each other, one at each side of the casing, are entrained on thesheaves I9, 30, and 20 and pulley 22, seating o in the grooves 26 of thelatter, the upper traversesoi' said belts running also on the pulley 28,as seen in Fig. 1. The construction of these belts is such that theypresent thin or shallow margins toward the median line of the casing,and they are elastically compressible transversely but substantiallynon-extensible or stretchable longitudinally. The relationship of thegrooved sheaves I9, 30, and 20 is such that the lower traverses of thebelts 40 are transmitted in an approximately horizontal position, i. e.,parallel with the upper traverse of the conveyor belt I4, and, dependingon the adjustment of the heads 3l, may travel more or less nearlyparallel with each other.

The belts 40 will be referred to as the holding belts.

Entrained around the pulleys 22 and 28 is a relatively broad,substantially non-stretchable sealing belt 4I positioned to travel overthe conveyor belt I4. Pivoted on a journal rod 42, which is supported onthe opposite walls of the housing I I, is a yoke 44 which carries at itsfree or swinging end a roller 45 that rides upon the upper traverses ofthe belts 4U and 4I. This yoke is pressed downwardly by a weight 46,positioned on a rod 41 which is vertically slidable in a bracket 48mounted on top ofthe housing II, the lower end of which rod rests upon.the yoke 44. The arrangement provides a belt tightener for the belts 40and 4 I, the weight 46 being removable so as to permit the belts beingrelieved of the tension when the machine is not in operation. Belts 4Uand 4I are driven by rotation of pulley 22, the direction of travel oftheir lower traverses being from rear to front of the machine and theirlinear speed being the same as that of the conveyor belt I4.

The open containers are placed on the conveyor belt in single le, at apoint or points outside of the casing, and by movement of the conveyorbelt they are carried into and through the casing. Adjustable centeringguides 49 are arranged to project over the conveyor belt in front of theentrance end of the casing, for cooperation with the containers so thatas the latter are moved forwardly, they will also be gradually shiftedlaterally to a position on the median line of the conveyor belt. Theadjusting means for the centering guides 49 is such that by the turningof the hand Wheel 50 they will be uniformly and symmetrically adjustedtoward or from the median line of the belt. As the containers are movedforwardly in the casing, they reach a position where they are graspedad- Cil jacent their upper ends between the inwardly presented marginsof the belts I where the latter ride across the guide sheaves 50, andupon their further advance they are carried out of engagement with thebelts 40 and under the sealing belt 4| and finally out of the dischargeend of the casing.

For applying the closure caps to the successive containers while theyare thus moved progressively through the casing, there is provided a capchute 5| down which the caps slide in single ille through an opening inthe top of the housing This chute is formed of a pair of flanged rails5| which are symmetrically adjustable tol site pairs of guide sheaves 30and at an elevation somewhat above the lower traverses of the belts 40.At the lower end of the chute is provided a spring-pressed detent 52which, in the normal position of its spring, lies partly in the path ofthe caps in the chute, so that it cooperates with the opposite rail tohold the lowermost cap against sliding out of the chute, retaining ittherein in a sloping position with a portion of the cap projectingbeyond and below the lower end of the chute. Various forms of flanged orskirted caps may be used, one 4form of cap being illustrated in sectionin Fig. 3, wherein it will be observed that the cap C has an annularskirt or flange F. With the proper vertical adjustment of the housingvlifor the particular height of containers which are being sealed, thelowermost cap in the chute will thus be held in a position in which itsskirt lies in the path of the upper end of the approaching container,sol

that, with the advancing movement of the container, it will engage theskirt of the cap and withdraw the cap from the chute, forcing the detent52 outwardly' to permit the cap to pass.

Above the lower end of the chute a levelingv member 54 isv hinged at 55to oscillate upwardly and downwardly, its downward movement beinglimited by abutment of its heel 56 against a stop 51, so that its lowerend will not obstruct the free movement of the cap, by gravity, to theposition illustrated in Fig. 3. The lower arm of the leveling member ispressed downwardly by a weight supported on a rod 5t which extendsthrough the top of the housing il, the weight being interchangeable sothat the weight loading of the leveling member may be varied inaccordance with the sizes'or weights of different caps. As the lowermostcap is withdrawn from the chute by the progressively moving container,it gradually assumes a more nearly'horizontal position and comes intocontact with the lower end of the depressor 54, so that the weight ofthe leveling member is imposed on the cap, to prevent its slipping offof the container and to cause it to assume-an approximately levelposition thereon.

Due to the relationship of the lower end of the cap chute and the guidesheaves 3i), the con# `tainer will be 'firmly held and supportedadjacent its upper end by the cooperating belts Ml during the time thatthe removal of the cap from the chute is being accomplished, so that thedrag or resistance imposed on the container by the cap and the detent 52and depressor 54 cannot overturn or tilt the container. This is afeature of .very substantiall importance, particularly in the handlingof containers which are tall or which have a, relatively small basearea, andit v drawal of the caps lfrom the chute. It will be observedthat the guide sheaves support the holding belts definitely at thedesired elevation in this portion of the course where they grip thecontainers, thus avoiding any sagging of the belts or any displacementof them upwardly or downwardly as a result of the gripping pressure.This is particularly of advantage when the containers handled havetapering upper portions or necks which are engaged by the belts. Theinward and outward adjustabillty of the guide sheaves also makes itpossible to guide the containers accurately in alignment with thecapsupporting means so that they will properly engage and withdraw thecaps. As the lowermost cap is being withdrawn, the successive caps inthe chute slide downwardly, so that the next following cap immediatelyreaches the position where it is stopped by the detent 52, as soon asthe preceding cap has been withdrawn.

In association with the leveling member 54,`

there is hinged at 55 a depressor 59, which depends over the lower endof the chute, its downward swinging movement being limited by abutmentof its heel 60 against the stopl 5l. 'I'his depressor is also weightedby interchangeable weights supported on a rod 6| which passes through anappropriate opening in the top of the housing When the cap is elevated,incident to withdrawal, it engages the member 59, and the weight of saidmember aids in leveling the cap on the jar mouth by holding down therearward portion of the cap as it is withdrawn.

IThus, the member 59 levels the cap in the direction of the jarsmovement, while the member 54 levels it in the direction transversethereto (see Figs. 3 and 4).

vertically slidable in the'bracket 48 are rods 65, their lower endsextending into the housing il through appropriate openings in its top.`Downward movement of these rods 65 is limited by collars lill` whichare pinned to the rods, and the rods are constrained to their downwardlimit position by springs 6l which bear at their lower ends against thecollar 65 and at their upper ends against adjustable sleeve nuts 68,which by virtue of their screw-thread mounting may be shifted upwardlyor downwardly in the bracket 48 to vary the compression under which thesprings 6l are held. Attached to the lower ends of the rods 65 are yokes69 which span the'. upper traverses of the belts 4|) and di and carry attheir lower ends a shoe lil. This shoe has a smooth lower surface alongand below which the lower traverse of the belt M rides. This lowersurface of the shoe lil first slopes downwardly from its rearward endadjacent the pulley 28, then extends for a distance horizontally towardthe front of the machine, and then slopes for a distance upwardly to itsforward termination.

It has been expained above how a container rearward end portion of thebelt 4|, which contacts it first lightly, with suillcient pressure tohold it in position; and with the continued advance of the container,the downward pressure on the cap increases gradually under the squeezingpressure exerted on the cap and the container between the conveyor belt|4 and the downwardly sloping rearward portion of the shoe 10, until thecontainer reaches a position under the lowest or horizontal portion ofthe shoe, at which position the closure is fully seated on thecontainer. From this position the container moves on under the holdingpressure exerted upon it and the closure by the conveyor belt |4 and theshoe 10, until it finally passes out from under the shoe and belt 4I,and is moved out of the forward or discharge end of the casing by theconveyor belt. In order that the squeezing pressure thus exerted on thecontainer and closure, for the purpose of seating the latter on theformer, shall not be such as to fracture a frangible container which maybe of slightly excess height, the squeezing pressure is renderedyieldable by the yielding pressure maintained by the springs 61 upon theshoe, it being observed that the springs will permit the rods 65, andhence the yokes 69 and shoe 10, to rise slightly. upon application ofupward pressure to the shoe sufcient to overcome the tension of thesprings 61. In order to permit the shoe to take this upward movementproperly, its connection with the yokes 69 is hinged. In order to holdthe yokes in proper parallelism with the rods 65, and prevent crampingof the latter in their bearings by the force exerted irictionally on theshoe by belt 4| incident to its travel in contact with the shoe, guiderollers 1| are rotatably mounted in brackets 12 on the opposite sidewalls of the housing and bear rearwardly against the lower portion ofthe rearward yoke 69 to prevent their being swung forwardly out ofvertical position. 'Ihese rollers permit the yoke to move freely in thevertical directions. The tightener roller 45 is effective constantly onthe upper traverse of the belt 4| to hold the lower traverse of thatbelt in contact with the shoe 10 and prevent any wrinkling or slackeningof the belt when the shoe is raised. The tightener is also effective onthe holding belts.

For the purpose of sterilizing the closure caps and the mouth portionsand head space of the containers before the closures are applied, andmore particularly for the purpose of evacuating air from the closurecaps and the head space of the containers, so that a sub-atmosphericpressure will be obtained in the containers when they are hermeticallysealed, means is provided for keeping thecasing filled with hot vapor,said means comprising a distributor pipe 14 which extends longitudinallyin the rearward end of the casing and is provided with lateraldistributingA outlets, and a header 15, of bifurcated form, whichstraddltL-the lower end of the chute 5| and is provided with distributedoutlets. Hot steam is supplied to the distributor pipe 14 from asuitable `source outside the casing and is discharged within the casingthrough the distributed outlets of said pipe and the header in quantityadequate to maintain an atmosphere of hot vapor throughout that portionof the casing in which the mouth portions of the containers travel. Thissteam distributor and header arrangement are more fully described, andclaimed, n my co-pending application Serial No. 503,715, filed December20, 1930. With the passage of the open mouth portions of the containersthrough this atmosphere of hot vapor, the air is displaced from the headspace in the containers and supplanted by the hot vapor. Likewise, theclosure caps on the chute 6| within the housing are filled and envelopedwith the hot vapor, so that they are effectivelyl sterilized and the airdisplaced from them. Consequently, when a closure cap is applied to acontainer, the confined space is filled with a hot condensible vapor,and when the closure cap is forced down to seated position in thesealing operation and the volume of the head space thereby reduced, theresultant compression of the trapped vapor may result in a partialcondensation of it; and as the sealed container is Amoved forwardlyunder the holding-down prespipe 16 extending alongside the path traveledby the container while it is passing beneath the lowest portion of theshoe 10. Consequently, by the time the sealed container passes out fromunder the shoe, pressure in the head space will have been reduced to apoint ineffective to pop off the closure when it is relieved of theholding-down pressure, and upon cooling of the head space to roomtemperature, a sub-atmospheric pressure will result therein, due to thecondensation of the trapped vapor.

As indicated above, the conveyor belt |4, the holding belts 40 and thesealing belt 4| are all transmitted at the same linear speed. Thedriving arrangement is illustrative in Figs. 1 and 5. 'I'he verticalshaft 11 is journaled on the frame I0 and is driven from a suitablesource, which may be variable in speed. Through a spur pinion 18 onshaft 11, a sprocket pinion 19 is driven, and this, through the mediumof a chain 80, drives a spur gear 8|, which in turn drives a gear 82conjoined to sprocket 84 which drives the conveyor belt |4. A beveledpinion is flxed for rotation with shaft 11, but is slidablelongitudinally thereon, and this beveled pinion 85 drives the beveledpinion 25 which is conjoined With pulley shaft 24, Thus, pulley 22 isrotated to drive sealing belt 4| and holding belts 40. The gearing beingof the proper ratio to give conveyor belt |4, holding belts 40 andsealing belt 4| the same linear speed, it will be observed that al1 thebelts are maintained in proper timing irrespective of the speed of shaft11.

It will be understood that the upper traverse of the conveyor belt I4 isrigidly supported against downward flexion during its course of travelthrough the casing, that sealing belt 4| is kept taut at all times bythe belt tightener 45, and that holding belts 40 are likewise kept undertension at all times by the action of the tightener and springs I8.

In operation of the apparatus, the necessary adjustments are marepreliminarily to adapt it to the patricular size of containers and capswhich are to be handled in the contemplated run. These adjustmentscomprise the proper positioning of the centering guides 49, which isdetermined by the diameter of the container at the level where it willcontact these guides, to effect the positioning of the containers on themedian line of the conveyor belt; the horizontal adjustment of theArails 5| a to the proper relative position to accommodate andaccurately guide the 'caps which are to be used, said adjustment beingin reference to the diameter o1' the caps; the adjustment of the housingI I vertically to the position at which the lowermost cap in the chutewill be held at the proper elevationto b e engaged by the lip of acontainer of the contemplated height standing on the conveyor belt, saidadjustment being with reference to the height of the container; suchvertical adjustment of the housing I l likewise positions the lowertraverse of the sealing belt 4l at the proper elevation with respect tothe conveyor belt I4 to accomplish', in conjunction with the latter, thedesired seating movement of the caps on thecontainers; the guide sheaves30. are adjusted symmetrically relative to the median line of theconveyor belt to positions such that the belts in passing said sheaveswill beat a distance from each other such as to grip between them the.upper portion of the contemplated container standing on the conveyorbelt, said adjust..

ment being with reference to the diameter of the containers at the levelat which they will be engaged by the holding belts 40. If it is desiredto tinnous supply of steam at a rate such as to maintain thattemperature. This fills the casing with hot vapor, displacing the airfrom the portions thereof which are traversed by the mouth portions ofthe containers, the hot atmosphere thus maintained in the casing beingof greatest temperature in the vicinity of the lower end of the chute,where the caps are applied to the containers. The machine then beingstarted, the containers, with their contents in them, are placed on theconveyor belt i4, and with the movement of the same are carried into thecasing, traveling on the longitudinal median line of the cap chute andsealing belt and midway between the holding belts it. As the opencontainers pass through the hot vapor atmosphere which is maintained inthe rearward portion of the casing, the air contained in their headspaces is displaced and supplanted by hot vapor. The caps being fed intothe chute 5l from a suitable hopper or other source of supply, theyslide in single le down the chute by gravity, the lowest cap beingretained in a position projecting from the lower end of the chute in thepath of the upper rim of the approaching container and each of the suc-Y 'the successive caps from the detent'means. Each container, onreceiving its cap, passes immediately under the rearward end of thesealing belt and with its continued advance below shoe l0, its cap ispressed down to sealed or seated position on it.

The sealed packages are discharged from the front or discharge end ofthe casing in the same order and at the same relative spacing at whichthey entered the casing, and are removed from the extended portion ofthe conveyor belt by hand .l

or by any suitable take-ofi. means. y

It .will thus be apparent that the containers do not have to be spaceduniformly with respect to one another longitudinally of the conveyorbelt, and that the air-evacuating, cap-applying and cap-sealingoperations will be performed similar- A they are supplied to it.

Features herein disclosed but not claimed are f claimed in my copendingapplication Serial No. 35,453, filed August 9, 1935.

What I claim is:

1. In apparatus for applying closures to packing containers, incombination, conveyor means for moving packing containers progressivelyin a series, cap-supporting means arranged to present and supportclosure caps for engagement by the moving containers, holding beltsarranged to travel along opposite sides of the path of the containersand adapted to grasp and support the successive containers between them,guide means cooperating with the holding vbelts adjacent thecap-supporting means to hold the belts rmly in engagement with thecontainers in order to support the containers against tilting incidentto the transfer of caps to them from the cap-supporting means, and meansfor driving the holding belts. Y

2. Apparatus as specified in claim 1 and including means for varyingselectively the distance between the holding belts.

3. Apparatus as specified in claim 1 and in which the guide means isselectively adjustabler to vary the course of the holding belts.

4. Apparatus as specified in claim 1 and wherein the guide means isadapted to apply resilient pressure against the outer sides of theholding belts.

5. Apparatus as specified in claim 1 and wherein the guide means isarranged to direct the travel of the holding belts in converging coursesto a location adjacent the cap-supporting means.

6. Apparatus as specied in claim l and wherein the guide means isarranged to direct the travel ofthe holding belts in converging coursesto a location adjacent the cap-supporting means and in diverging coursesfrom said location.

7. Apparatus as specified in claim l and wherein the holding belts areentrained on sheaves which rotate on horizontal axes so that thetraverses of the respective holding belts are one above the other. Y

8. Apparatus as specified in claim 1 and wherein the holding belts areentrained on sheaves which rotate on horizontal axes and the guide meansinclude guide sheaves which rotate on vertical axes and engage the lowertraverses of the holding belts intermediate said rst mentioned sheaves.

9. Apparatus as specified in claim 1 and wherein said guide means retainthe holding belts against upward and downward displacement in locationsadjacent the cap-,supporting means.

10. Apparatus as specified in ,claim 1 and including also a sealing beltarranged to travel over the path of the containers for pressingcooperation with containers moving from the capsupporting means, and adriving sheave on which said sealing belt and the holding belts areentrained.

11. Apparatus as specified in claim 1 and wherein the holding belts areentrained on sheaves which rotate on horizontal axes so that thetraverses of the respective holding belts are one above the other, andthe guide means has guiding cooperation with the lower traverses of theholding belts.

12. Apparatus as specified in claim 1 and including a leveling deviceeilective upon the caps incident to their transfer from thecap-supporting means to the containers.

13. Apparatus as speciiied in claim 1 and in-l cluding a leveling devicefor guiding a cap against tilting laterally incident to its transferfrom the cap-supporting means to a container.

14. Apparatus as specied in claim 1 and wherein the holding beltspresent thin or shallow inner margins for engagement with the packingcontainers.

15. Apparatus as specied in claim 1 and including means maintaining theholding belts under tension longitudinally.

16. Apparatus as speciiled in claim 1 and including also a sealing beltarranged to travel over the path of the containers in position to pressclosure caps onto containers moving from the cap-supporting means, andmeans for driving said sealing belt at the same rate as the conveyormeans.

17. In apparatus for applying closures to packing containers, incombination, cap-supporting means, a conveyor operable to move packingcontainers successively past the same, holding belts movable alongopposite sides of the path of the containers, said holding beltspresenting thin inner margins for engagement with upper por tions ofcontainers therebetween, guide means cooperating with the holding beltsadjacent the cap-supporting means to resist outward movement of theholding belts, and means for driving the conveyor and holding belts atthe same linear speed.

18. Apparatus as specified in claim 17 and including means forselectively varying the zones of operation of the guide means.

19. Apparatus as specified in claim 17 and wherein said guide means arespring-pressed against the holding belts.

20. Apparatus as specified in claim 17 and wherein the holding belts areelastically compressible transversely but substantially non-extensiblelongitudinally.

WILLIAM P. WHITE.

